U.S. Defense Dep't. says threat of Iraqi attack on Israel is "very realistic" and that American intelligence analysts believe Iraq would use chemical weapons against coalition forces in event of...
Iraq's Information Minister says Baghdad still wants "deep dialogue" with U.S. despite differences over dates for direct talks; also says F.M. Aziz will not travel to Washington on 12/17 [INA 12/...
U.S. and Iraqi admins. air differences over when Bush-Aziz and Baker-Saddam meetings should take place; Iraq suggests Baker come to Baghdad on 1/12, but U.S. says it is too close to UN deadline of...
In Brussels for international economic meetings, Sec. of State Baker rejects Soviet envoy Yevgeny Primakov's suggestion that solution to Gulf crisis be linked to Palestine question [LAT 11/17]....
Read more
U.S. Defense Dep't. says threat of Iraqi attack on Israel is "very realistic" and that American intelligence analysts believe Iraq would use chemical weapons against coalition forces in event of war [NYT 12/27]; Israel signals it will not launch first strike against Iraq [WP 12/27] and asserts it has no aggressive intentions toward Jordan [JPI 1/5].
Iraqi cargo ship carrying tons of food bound for Iraq is seized by U.S. and Australian soldiers after having to use stun grenades to subdue crew members; Baghdad protests to UN [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 12/27].
U.S. orders dependents of American diplomats out of Jordan and Sudan "well before 15 January" because of fears of anti-U.S. violence (cf. 1/3) [WT, WP 12/27].
Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rules death sentence against author Salman Rushdie still stands, despite Rushdie's 12/24 statement [LAT, WT, CSM 12/27].
3 Jewish militants are freed after serving less than 7 years of their life sentences for killing 3 Arabs and maiming 2 Palestinian mayors in early 1980s car bombings. Jewish Underground members Menachem Livni, Shaul Nir, and Uzi Sharbav are greeted as heroes by Jewish settlers [JDS 12/26 in FBIS 12/26; NYT, LAT, WP, CSM 12/27; FJ 12/31; JPI 1/5].
Gaza youth is shot dead by IDF after reportedly attacking soldier with knife [JDS 12/26 in FBIS 12/26].
Iraq's Information Minister says Baghdad still wants "deep dialogue" with U.S. despite differences over dates for direct talks; also says F.M. Aziz will not travel to Washington on 12/17 [INA 12/15, ATS 12/16 in FBIS 12/17; NYT 12/16; MET 12/25].
In Damascus, Algerian Pres. Benjedid opens talks with Pres. Asad on ways of finding Arab solution to Gulf crisis [DDS 12/15, APS 12/17 in FBIS 12/17; MET 12/25]; Yasir Arafat arrives in Amman for talks on Gulf crisis with King Hussein [ADS 12/15 in FBIS 12/17].
Egypt expresses to Israel its "extreme anxiety" over reports that Temple Mount Faithful will tour Haram al-Sharif on 12/17 [MENA 12/15 in FBIS 12/18].
EC ends summit conference in Rome with 2 resolutions on Middle East, one warning Saddam Hussein that peace in Gulf is his responsibility, the other calling for international peace conference on the Middle East [MEM 12/17].
Still searching for 2 Palestinians suspected in 12/14 stabbings, Israeli police arrest hundreds of Palestinians in o.t. Palestinians claim 800 are detained. Gaza is placed under curfew (cf. 12/16) [JDS 12/15 in FBIS 12/17; NYT, LAT 12/16; MET 12/25].
Israel issues deportation notices to 4 Gaza Strip Palestinians described by IDF as members of Hamas. Notices are given to Fadel Zaabut, Imad al-Alami, Mustapha al-Lidani, and Shaykh Mustafa Knuah (cf. 12/16, 12/18, 12/20, 12/25, 1/7, 1/8) [JDS 12/15 in FBIS 12/17; NYT, WP, CSM 12/17; JPI 12/22].
U.S. and Iraqi admins. air differences over when Bush-Aziz and Baker-Saddam meetings should take place; Iraq suggests Baker come to Baghdad on 1/12, but U.S. says it is too close to UN deadline of 1/15 for Iraqi troops to leave Kuwait [NYT, WP 12/11].
For 2d time, U.S. postpones Sec. Council vote on resolution endorsing Middle East peace conference; hopes to change text so that it can avoid using in Israel's defense veto that could weaken Arab support for U.S.-led coalition in Saudi Arabia [NYT, WP, MEM 12/11; CSM 12/12; JPI 12/22].
Sec. Baker asks F.M. Shevardnadze to commit token Soviet troop contingent to multinational force in Gulf; Shevardnadze says USSR cannot do so [WP 12/11].
Kuwaiti officials says Iraq owes them $64 billion for stolen property, unpaid debts, and damage caused by 8/2 invasion [IRNA 12/11 in FBIS 12/12].
Israeli army steps up 3-month-old policy of deploying hidden snipers along highways in the West Bank with authorization to shoot Palestinians seen throwing stones at Israeli cars. Snipers use live ammunition and are permitted to fire without warning if they be- lieve the stone throwers are endangering lives [HAM 12/11 in FBIS 12/11; MEM 12/12; NYT, WT, CSM 12/13; MET 12/25].
Israeli military prosecutors are ordered to demand harsher sentences for those Palestinians convicted of stonethrowing; D.M. Arens sets maximum sentence at 20 years in prison [JDS 12/11 in FBIS 12/11].
Labor MK Yossi Beilin presents initiative of dovish Mashov Circle group, calling for "negotiations between Israel and a Palestinian delegation with a primary purpose of bringing about Israel's evacuation from the Gaza Strip, to create in the Gaza Strip a Palestinian state. . . ." [MEM 12/11].
28 American Jewish community leaders, celebrities, and law professors send letter to Pres. Bush urging him to raise at his 12/11 meeting with P.M. Shamir the human rights cases of Palestinian journalists Radwan Abu Ayyash and Ziad Abu Zayyad, who were placed in administrative detention on 11/13. Letter urges they be either formally charged with a crime or else released. Copy of letter is sent to P.M. Shamir [MEM 12/11].
EC says it will give $6 million to help 8 hospitals in o.t. keep functioning during Gulf crisis [MEM 12/11].
In Brussels for international economic meetings, Sec. of State Baker rejects Soviet envoy Yevgeny Primakov's suggestion that solution to Gulf crisis be linked to Palestine question [LAT 11/17].
Soviet envoy Alexander Belonogov meets in Cairo with Pres. Mubarak to discuss Gulf crisis; Belonogov then leaves for Saudi Arabia [MENA 11/16, CDS 11/17 in FBIS 11/20].
Ultra-Orthodox Agudat Israel party joins P.M. Shamir's ruling coalition; belated agreement increases Likud majority from 62 Knesset seats out of 120, to 66 seats [JDS 11/16 in FBIS 11/16; NYT, LAT 11/17; CSM, MEM 11/19; JPI 11/24; MET 11/27].
Arab and nonaligned nations introduce Sec. Council resolution calling for UN observer force in occupied territories (o.t.) and for conference of 164 signators of Fourth Geneva Convention [LAT 11/17; MEM 11/19].
Iran and Iraq announce agreement on series of steps to end major disputes lingering from 8-year war; Iranian F.M. Velayati says he detects willingness by Iraq to end crisis by withdrawing from Kuwait [NYT 11/17].
700 members of U.S. Council of Jewish Federations pass without dissent resolution backing Bush admin. policy in Gulf, but say they will fight U.S. plans to sell weapons to Saudia Arabia [NYT 11/17].
IDF bars Gaza Strip and West Bank residents from Jerusalem as preventive measure against anticipated protests following prayers on Haram al-Sharif [FJ 11/19].
Israeli Immigration Minister Yitzhak Peretz ignites political row by calling for curbs on Soviet immigration, saying 4 of 10 newcomers are not Jewish [MEM 11/1].
